Despite saving $23.875 million with the departures of Lohse and Berkman, all they have added are a lefty reliever, Randy Choate, and a backup utility man, Ty Wigginton.

Did general manager John Mozeliak forget to turn on his hot stove or what? With uncertainties in the middle infield and rotation, all he’s managed is to overpay for a couple of role players. Not much time remains, either, with pitchers and catchers scheduled to report in three weeks.

But if Mozeliak is worried, he’s not letting on. At the team’s weekend fanfest, he appeared ready to open camp with exactly what he has.

“Our core is in tact,” he told reporters. “We feel good about this club.”

He has plenty of reasons to be confident, too. Ace Adam Wainwright will be another year removed from Tommy John surgery. First baseman Allen Craig is poised for a breakout season. With Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran, the Cardinals have three of the best in the NL at catcher, left field and right field.

St. Louis, in fact, is set at every position except second base, and they’re never set there.

Plus their bullpen is stocked with hard-throwing youngsters who did a lot of growing up in last year’s playoff run and even without Lohse, their rotation boasts two of the league’s best in Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, not to mention an 18-game winner in Lance Lynn.

So this isn’t exactly the rebuilding Cubs or the hapless Rockies we’re talking about.

“I favor the Reds to win the division but the Cardinals should be right there,” one NL talent evaluator says. “After the past two years, how can you not like what they have going?”

Well, I can give you three reasons worth doubting the Cardinals:

1. Rafael Furcal

When his season ended last August, the club thought he would need Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Furcal, however, opted for rest and rehab, and Mozeliak said over the weekend that the elbow has is 100 percent. But that’s what is typically said in January. No one knows how long or how well Furcal will hold up to daily grind of playing shortstop.

2. Carpenter

The veteran right-hander made a remarkable comeback from July surgery to pitch in September but after all he’s been through, he is no certainty to stay healthy. Even he admits, “I’m in a stage of my career where my mind is never at ease with physical issues.” Carpenter started his throwing program a month early mainly because he was curious to see how his arm felt after his strong finish. But at 37, saving his bullets for the long season would have been the safer course.

3. Jaime Garcia

After dealing with a sore shoulder for much of last season, no one knows how he will come back in 2013. Count Garcia among the uncertain. The 26-year-old lefty sought four opinions last fall before deciding against surgery. Like Carpenter, Garcia says he feels fine these days. But he cautions, check back in April.

When Carpenter failed to start 2012, Lohse more than filled the need t the top-of-the-rotation. But Lohse’s absence leaves the Cardinals’ rotation with much less security. As promising as Trevor Rosenthal, Shelby Miller and Joe Kelly looked last year, they can’t be expected to be much more than a fifth starter in 2013.

If Carpenter and Garcia stay healthy, the Cardinals won’t need but one of the three to fill out their rotation. But if the veterans aren’t right, the rotation suddenly becomes an issue.

Mozeliak’s slow off-season figures to subject him to plenty of second-guessing if the Cardinals struggle. Why didn’t he pursue Elvis Andrus or make a bigger push for Asdrubal Cabrera? Why didn’t he bring in a veteran starter as insurance? Why didn’t he use the club’s considerable resources to sign an impact bat?

The GM says he still could make a move before spring training if opportunity knocks. But he likely will wait to see how the club comes together in camp. A year ago, the Cardinals went to Florida with no Albert Pujols or Tony La Russa and their season went better than anyone could have expected.

They’re in a much better place now. “Look back a year ago to where we are today, the level of optimism is much different,” Mozeliak said. “It’s a much different feeling with (manager) Mike Matheny having a year under his belt. The success this club ended up having last year is a great steppingstone to build on.”